Jeff Wallach » Courses and Travel

Last Warrior Standing

Jeff Wallach — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:49:17 +0000

This in the parking lot of We Ko Pa Golf Club, one of the best courses we played on the recent Golf Road Warriors (GRW) trip to Scottsdale.

This in the parking lot of We Ko Pa Golf Club, one of the best courses we played on the recent Golf Road Warriors (GRW) trip to Scottsdale. I'm posing with my 28-inch T-Pro Bold Expandable Rollaboard, which is ready for action as I head for Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport directly from the golf course parking lot. We Ko Pa was a perfect last hurrah as Peter Kessler and GRW videographer Jamie McWilliams joined me on ...

From The Boulders to Barbecue in Seven Miles

Jeff Wallach — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:08:18 +0000

Photo by John and Jeannine Henebry Is this a great country, or what? In the span of one long day today the Golf Road Warriors enjoyed

Photo by John and Jeannine Henebry Is this a great country, or what? In the span of one long day today the Golf Road Warriors enjoyed the municipal magnificence of the McDowell Mountain Ranch Golf Club early in the desert morning chill with the sun just coming up over the sagauro-studded peaks, an afternoon round amidst the refinded desert finery of The Boulders Resort, and finished the evening watching amateur bull riding at the Buffalo Chip ...

Warm Greeting at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale

Jeff Wallach — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 04:10:30 +0000

The Golf Road Warriors have begun gathering in the desert from various points on the compass. Day starts early tomorrow with massages at the Four

The Golf Road Warriors have begun gathering in the desert from various points on the compass. Day starts early tomorrow with massages at the Four Seasons spa to get golf ready, as someone once put it. Then off to Troon North to test our mettle on the famous monument course. Here's a quick view of a few things that awaited the warriors upon arrival . . . ...

Like The Bat Cave For Golf Writers

Jeff Wallach — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 23:45:35 +0000

In the depths of the gear closet, secreted underground in an undisclosed Portland location, I must decide upon what gear to take on the Golf Road

In the depths of the gear closet, secreted underground in an undisclosed Portland location, I must decide upon what gear to take on the Golf Road Warriors trip to Scottsdale, departing tomorrow (which reminds me-- gotta go check in for my flight)! I start with golf shoes (two pair, one white, one black); golf towel (I'm going with a brand new Sunriver towel in a rich blue that matches my golf bag); a dozen golf balls ...

How I Would Spend $10,000 on Golf . . .

Jeff Wallach — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:46:32 +0000

One word: Scottsdale. Which the Robb Report once called the best place to live in the US for golf. I’ll fly business class and begin my trip

One word: Scottsdale. Which the Robb Report once called the best place to live in the US for golf. I’ll fly business class and begin my trip with a warm-up round on the Kierland Golf Club just because it’s fun, then make my way to a Kiva suite (outdoor shower, fireplace, plunge pool) at the Four Seasons Resort, where I’ll walk the two terrific Troon North courses at least twice or until I’m out of golf ...

The Boulders Still Awesome After 12 Million Years

Jeff Wallach — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:54:11 +0000

A lot of resorts– particularly those built back in the boom of the 1980s– have grown tired enough to be forced into retirement,

A lot of resorts-- particularly those built back in the boom of the 1980s-- have grown tired enough to be forced into retirement, especially with all the great new boutique properties popping up full of eco-engineering, flat-screens t.v.s as thin as the 600-thread cotton sheets, and animatronic deer walking past your room on cue (okay, I'm making that up). Which is what makes a visit to The Boulders Resort, north of Scottsdale, so refreshing (I mean, ...

Best Golf Deal in the Great State of Oregon

Jeff Wallach — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 22:55:45 +0000

During the same month that Oregon, my home state, has garnered the honor of being home to the #1 golf resort in the US (according to the recent

During the same month that Oregon, my home state, has garnered the honor of being home to the #1 golf resort in the US (according to the recent listing in Golf Digest that would be Bandon Dunes), there's other good news for Beaver State golfers as well (though being the Beaver State, in the first place, isn't such good news). The Oregon Golf Association (OGA) just announced a spanking new deal called the ExploreOregonGolf VIP ...

Playing With Matches at La Costa

Jeff Wallach — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 18:53:13 +0000

In honor of an upcoming visit to the renowned La Costa Resort, outside San Diego, to have a look at the newly-renovated property, I felt nostalgic enough to post this La Costa story written several years ago. The names have not been changed to protect anyone. And I'm still waiting for my dollar. All photos are post-renovation. I'll write an update of my more recent visit in the next few weeks. Even if you watched this year’s ...

My Favorite Course in the UK

Jeff Wallach — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 00:37:05 +0000

The farther I can get from the obvious trophy courses when visiting Scotland, the more authentic my visits always prove to be (and the less

The farther I can get from the obvious trophy courses when visiting Scotland, the more authentic my visits always prove to be (and the less likely it will take more than 3.5 hours to play). I hesitate to mention 120-year-old Brora Golf Club in northern Scotland, and only do so because you are unlikely to venture 52 miles north of Inverness, past Dornoch, to play a 6,156-yard course that isn’t particularly famous. But Brora is the ...

Quick Hits from the Irish Open Pro-am

Jeff Wallach — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:57:48 +0000

Well, it wasn’t pretty out there for me today, although it sure was pretty– the Killarney Golf & Fishing Club provided a

Well, it wasn't pretty out there for me today, although it sure was pretty-- the Killarney Golf & Fishing Club provided a meticulously maintained venue for the pro am for the Irish Open this morning. We teed off at 8:25 on the eleventh hole and faced daunting challenges early, as the course played long and wet and I played like I was underwater. By the time we'd warmed up fans began to gather, and I was ...

At Ballybunion, The Old is New Again

Jeff Wallach — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 23:08:01 +0000

The last time I played Ballybunion’s Old Course– one of the world’s premier links courses– rain was falling so hard I

The last time I played Ballybunion's Old Course-- one of the world's premier links courses-- rain was falling so hard I barely looked out from under my rain hat. Today our caddie rued the suntan he'd gotten on a day that must have hit 75 without a cloud in the sky. We started on possibly one of the best opening holes in golf-- a graveyard protects the right side, quite literally meaning death for slicers. To ...

Carnivorous Carne Golf Links

Jeff Wallach — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:04:30 +0000

Welcome to the modern era, where—armed with a TEP wifi device and a Canon G11 camera) I can post several stories onto the golf road

Welcome to the modern era, where—armed with a TEP wifi device and a Canon G11 camera) I can post several stories onto the golf road warriors website from the backseat of our VW Transporter while Peter Kessler snores beside me in the back seat and Hal Phillips and Tom Harack argue about directions up front. We’re on our way from the outpost of Carne Golf Links via a five hour drive to Killarney, where we’ll meet ...

Adrian Carr, Senior Caddie at Ballybunion

Jeff Wallach — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 23:14:01 +0000

Hear a quick comparison between Ballybunion’s Old and Cashen golf courses from someone who knows. And he’s a great reader of greens,

Hear a quick comparison between Ballybunion's Old and Cashen golf courses from someone who knows. And he's a great reader of greens, as well! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpGRi_MBpl4 ...

The Fabulous Enniscrone Golf Club Makes My Personal Top Ten List

Jeff Wallach — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 06:18:44 +0000

After midnight on day four, cool and crisp with salt on the light breeze here at the modern and luxurious Diamond Coast Hotel just up the

After midnight on day four, cool and crisp with salt on the light breeze here at the modern and luxurious Diamond Coast Hotel just up the road from Enniscrone Golf Club. The day began many hours ago with a trip to Letterkenny General Hospital to retrieve ailing golf road warrior Peter Kessler. After a few hours of driving we reached the Enniscrone golf links early—nearly unheard of for the warriors—just in time for our 4:20 tee ...

Donegal Golf Club: The Purest of Inland Links Golf

Jeff Wallach — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 11:58:01 +0000

Seeing how the golf holes at Donegal sit so contentedly in the low dunes beside a round bay you’ll think they’ve been tramped

Seeing how the golf holes at Donegal sit so contentedly in the low dunes beside a round bay you'll think they've been tramped and played upon for centuries. But these sublime links were actually designed with the help of Eddie Hackett in the 1970s, proving that you don't have to be old to be great. Donegal has the wide, open, inviting feel of the great Panmure in Scotland, with surrounding pines and a feel somewhere ...

Meet The Irish Van (Volkswagen, not Morrison)

Jeff Wallach — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 08:10:28 +0000

If you’ve taken any kind of road trip you know that by day two or three it will already look like a plane crash in the back seat. Just try

If you've taken any kind of road trip you know that by day two or three it will already look like a plane crash in the back seat. Just try to find your wallet amid the soda cans and candy and chip wrappers, the empty boxes of golf balls, and club covers, shoe bags, computer cases, day packs, GPS devices, road maps, assorted bandages and braces, hats, and more. Here's a quick tour of the Golf ...

Quick Intro to the Great Narin & Portnoo

Jeff Wallach — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 23:12:51 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBtzOMHLmds ...

Ballyliffin Superintendent Andy Robertson

Jeff Wallach — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 23:07:07 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Gfg8yHrSQ4 ...

Road Warriors Become Road Weary

Jeff Wallach — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 22:46:35 +0000

Nearly eleven in the evening here at Rosapenna in northern Ireland and the sun is just setting over the golf course and the round bay beyond my

Nearly eleven in the evening here at Rosapenna in northern Ireland and the sun is just setting over the golf course and the round bay beyond my window at the Rosapenna Hotel. We've just finished a fabulous four-course meal in the dining room, met some nice locals at the next table who were eager to trade golfing tales, and now, finally, it's time to get to work! A long day for the warriors began in Ballyliffin ...

Broadcaster Peter Kessler Tees Off on Ballyliffin Golf Links

Jeff Wallach — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 22:03:20 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSYdwV1m-aw ...

Day One Travel Mayhem Gives Way to Evening Round at Ballyliffin

Jeff Wallach — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 23:39:37 +0000

After many hours of travel from many compass points the Golf Road Warriors met this morning at Dublin airport, threw all manner of baggage into a

After many hours of travel from many compass points the Golf Road Warriors met this morning at Dublin airport, threw all manner of baggage into a seven-person VW van and hit the road north-- WAAAY north, four hours in the car to Ballyliffin Golf Links, at the very top of the island. While rain fell in Dublin the skies cleaved open as we headed for golf. A quick stop in a local mini-mart revealed what ...

A Little Preview to Frighten the Golf Balls

Jeff Wallach — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 22:49:09 +0000

Here’s where the Golf Road Warriors are headed next week. Right now I’m headed to the golf shop to buy a couple of boxes of new

Here's where the Golf Road Warriors are headed next week. Right now I'm headed to the golf shop to buy a couple of boxes of new Pro-V1s. Ireland's Carne Golf Links, pictured above, may well be their final resting place. The photo is by John and Jeannine Henebry, the best golf course photographers in the world. See more of their work at theAposition.com. And follow the Golf Road Warriors at GolfRoadWarriors.com. ...

Ballyliffin May Never Be the Same . . .

Jeff Wallach — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 23:41:45 +0000

The A Position.com’s Golf Road Warriors– Jeff Wallach, Hal Phillips, Tom Harack, and Peter Kessler– converge on Dublin on Tuesday

The A Position.com's Golf Road Warriors-- Jeff Wallach, Hal Phillips, Tom Harack, and Peter Kessler-- converge on Dublin on Tuesday July 21 and head straight to Ballyliffin. Sure it's peaceful in this gorgeous photo-- the green nestled among revetted bunkers and the blue sea beyond. But not for long . . . ...

Brora Golf Club: My Favorite Course in Baaa-ritain

Jeff Wallach — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:39:11 +0000

The farther I can get from the obvious trophy courses when visiting Scotland, the more authentic my visits always prove to be (and the less

My Worst Golf Travel Experience

Jeff Wallach — Fri, 27 May 2011 23:47:49 +0000

On a golf trip to Turkey’s terrific Belek region I was unfortunate to be traveling with the quintessential “ugly American.” If our hosts

On a golf trip to Turkey’s terrific Belek region I was unfortunate to be traveling with the quintessential “ugly American.” If our hosts took us to the famous fish restaurant, she was in the mood for meat and asked for it. The next day, when we were entertained at the famous kabob restaurant, she wondered if they didn’t have any fish. If someone else’s room was higher than hers in the hotel she complained to the ...

Elkhorn Valley, Undiscovered Oregon Golf Treasure

Jeff Wallach — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 03:30:47 +0000

Oregon isn’t as famous for mountain golf as some western states but that’s no reason to miss Elkhorn Valley Golf Course, a quiet symphony of

Oregon isn’t as famous for mountain golf as some western states but that’s no reason to miss Elkhorn Valley Golf Course, a quiet symphony of fine holes nestled in the foothills of the Cascades. The original nine was designed and built over eleven years (it opened in 1976) as a labor of love by Don Cutler, whose children ran the place for many years and who is buried just behind one of the greens. The ...

Oregon Golf: Going Off-Trail to Wildhorse Resort

Jeff Wallach — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 23:18:12 +0000

In the high desert east of Oregon’s Cascade Mountains, ride on toward the Native American owned Wildhorse Resort and Casino, located just

In the high desert east of Oregon's Cascade Mountains, ride on toward the Native American owned Wildhorse Resort and Casino, located just outside Pendleton. Wildhorse isn’t a gamble at all: lousy poker players will actually make money by paying the low greens fees on the golf course rather than betting their two pair against three-of-a-kind in the poker room. The underrated and largely unknown track stretches to 7,112 at the base of the Blue Mountains. ...

Travel Tip #1: Act Like a Local

Jeff Wallach — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 17:45:10 +0000

Act like a local. If you’re in a country where the men cover their legs at all times, put on a pair of pants and leave the shorts in your

Act like a local. If you’re in a country where the men cover their legs at all times, put on a pair of pants and leave the shorts in your suitcase. Buy a pair of shoes in a local store—and not the local Nike store. Trade the Frappuccino for a mango lassi. Remove your hat in the clubhouse and when you shake hands after a match. Take an afternoon siesta rather than rolling your eyes ...

Please Bogey This Hole

Jeff Wallach — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 22:33:15 +0000

Several years ago, I was playing Robert Trent Jones Jr.’s Royal Westmoreland Golf Course in Barbados with the architect himself. On one hole,

Several years ago, I was playing Robert Trent Jones Jr.’s Royal Westmoreland Golf Course in Barbados with the architect himself. On one hole, Jones faced an impossible sidehill putt. After studying the slick, sloping green from various angles, and frowning his displeasure, he looked up from his ball and said, “I designed it, so I’ll have to play it.” I thought of this recently while playing the eleventh hole at the Revere at Anthem Golf Course, ...

Golf Courses of Study: Great Resorts That Will Teach You a Lesson

Jeff Wallach — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 00:33:29 +0000

One thing I never expected to learn at golf school was how to really wind up and throw my golf clubs. But at Fred Shoemaker’s School for

One thing I never expected to learn at golf school was how to really wind up and throw my golf clubs. But at Fred Shoemaker’s School for Extraordinary Golf we not only practiced flinging seven irons, but Fred also videotaped our efforts, and played the videos back to us right after playing videos of our group of students hitting actual golf shots with the same clubs. Our room full of intermediate and advanced students was ...

World’s Hottest Golf Resort?

Jeff Wallach — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 06:25:49 +0000

Hot like a Bond girl, The Grove is a slinky, provocative five-star resort 30 minutes outside London. As you cavort through the black-velvet-lined

Hot like a Bond girl, The Grove is a slinky, provocative five-star resort 30 minutes outside London. As you cavort through the black-velvet-lined hallways of the 19th-century manor house you can’t help thinking about a quick tryst behind the pettable curtains. Then you get to your room, which might feature surprises from a fireplace and piano to a red day-bed (beckoning like a casting couch) and a four-poster king crowned with ostrich feathers—perfect for tying ...

Northern Lights: Ten Great Courses to Play During the Month of the Summer Solstice

Jeff Wallach — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 18:20:52 +0000

What better time to reminisce about long summer days than in the darkest depths of winter? As we approach the shortest day of the year in the

What better time to reminisce about long summer days than in the darkest depths of winter? As we approach the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, let's think forward to the other side, when there's nothing quite like heading out after dinner in late June for a cool, leisurely 18 holes (as our neighbors to the south may be enjoying right now). Or 36 holes if you're playing some of our favorite northern ...

Speyside Golf Whisky Trail Marks Convergence of World’s Greatest Inventions

Jeff Wallach — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 18:05:59 +0000

In October, my friend David Whyte– the renowned Scottish golf journalist– picked me up in Glasgow for a quick tour of the Speyside Golf

In October, my friend David Whyte-- the renowned Scottish golf journalist-- picked me up in Glasgow for a quick tour of the Speyside Golf Whisky Trail in central Scotland. Over five days we visited some of the best little-known golf courses in that golf-rich nation (Moray, Forres, etc), toured several whisky distilleries including Benromach (the smallest working distillery in Speyside) and The Glenlivet (with roots going back nearly 200 years), and stayed in a series ...

Devils, Giants, and Beasts: Tremblant Golf

Jeff Wallach — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 20:28:42 +0000

Most people don’t know that the real reason the province of Quebec wants to secede from the rest of Canada is to protect its golf courses.

Most people don’t know that the real reason the province of Quebec wants to secede from the rest of Canada is to protect its golf courses. Perhaps I’m missing some of the political intrigue pitting French speakers against the rest of the nation, but Quebec’s golf destinations are worth trying to keep under wraps. While Montreal and Quebec City are the most European metropoli on the North American continent, visitors sometimes tire of charming, narrow ...

Golfers Eat Up Turkey!

Jeff Wallach — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:28:59 +0000

Above: Maintenance Crew at Perge, photo by Jeff Wallach. All other photos by David Whyte. While it hasn’t blipped onto the radar of most

Above: Maintenance Crew at Perge, photo by Jeff Wallach. All other photos by David Whyte. While it hasn't blipped onto the radar of most North American golfers yet, Turkey-- the gorgeous, culture-rich nation, not the delicious Thanksgiving day feast-- is well-known to northern Europeans looking for a warm, upscale golf destination at a great price. On a recent trip to Belek, located on the southern Mediterranean Coast, one of my favorite stops was the Gloria Serenity Resort ...

The Full Monty: The Montgomerie Course at Papillon Golf Club, Belek, Turkey

Jeff Wallach — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 19:28:02 +0000

The moment that your backswing is interrupted by the tinny, electrically amplified song of the Muslim call to prayer, you’ll know you’re not

The moment that your backswing is interrupted by the tinny, electrically amplified song of the Muslim call to prayer, you’ll know you’re not golfing at Pinehurst any more. Although it doesn’t register yet as a golf destination for most Americans, Turkey—particularly the town of Belek, on the Mediterranean Coast—has become the new “it” place for Northern Europeans looking for a combination of five-star hotels and great golf variety at reasonable prices. More great reasons for a ...

Runway Tees: Great New Golf Course and Hotel Near Glasgow Airport

Jeff Wallach — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 22:04:40 +0000

The best possible antidote for jet lag when flying from the US to Europe for a golf trip is also the most obvious: a round of golf and a

The best possible antidote for jet lag when flying from the US to Europe for a golf trip is also the most obvious: a round of golf and a deep-tissue massage followed by dinner in an old castle, a dram of single malt, and then early to your four-poster bed with Egyptian cotton covers. Until recently, travelers to Glasgow were forced to suffer the additional drag of a long drive to reach a great golf ...

Golf Architecture’s New Paradigm, Part Deux

Jeff Wallach — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 00:18:43 +0000

A few weeks ago I wrote a story in which I declared golf course architect David McLay Kidd to be a sort of Picasso of his art– stridently

A few weeks ago I wrote a story in which I declared golf course architect David McLay Kidd to be a sort of Picasso of his art-- stridently modernistic to a point so exaggerated that his Tetherow Golf Club, in central Oregon (as one example), appears almost an abstraction of itself. Lest you misunderstand me here, I believe Kidd has taken his art form to a new place-- still rooted in Scottish fescue, but like ...

Edgewood Tahoe, A Modern Classic

Jeff Wallach — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 23:34:34 +0000

What can I say about Lake Tahoe—“the jewel of the Sierras”– that hasn’t already been said . . . except maybe Hoo-chee Mama! Yabba

What can I say about Lake Tahoe—“the jewel of the Sierras”-- that hasn’t already been said . . . except maybe Hoo-chee Mama! Yabba Dabba Do! and Katie bar the door! Formed 5-10 million years ago by shifting faults that pushed up surrounding mountains (but through no fault of it’s own), and by volcanic activity that dammed the Truckee river, the stunning, almost too-blue lake’s average depth is nearly 1000 feet. The pristine waters are ...

Golf Architecture’s New Paradigm

Jeff Wallach — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 06:04:49 +0000

Imagine that you are a lover of art in France at the turn of the 20th century. Following upon several hundred years of Renaissance religious

Imagine that you are a lover of art in France at the turn of the 20th century. Following upon several hundred years of Renaissance religious scenes with puffy clouds and buff bible characters acting out passionate historical moments, and a few decades of Impressionists working on your emotions with evocative landscapes and delicious looking fruit, you encounter something the likes of which you've never laid eyes upon before nor could even have imagined in your ...

Happy Haunting Grounds

Jeff Wallach — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 19:36:17 +0000

Jack O’ Lanterns and skeletons may be plenty scary, but they’re not nearly as frightening as standing over a two-foot putt with a match on the

Jack O’ Lanterns and skeletons may be plenty scary, but they’re not nearly as frightening as standing over a two-foot putt with a match on the line. October is a great month for golf in many locations, especially at these venues with haunting themes and backgrounds. For further inspiration you can watch Boo Weekley on the Tour, and perhaps announcers will mention friendly ghost, Billy Casper. Scaring Up a Game Close by to White Plains, NY—in aptly ...

Golf as it Really Was

Jeff Wallach — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 04:47:52 +0000

It’s not Pamplona, but running with the sheep at Old Bandon Golf Links may be just as exciting. Photo by Wood Sabold. The motto of Bandon

It's not Pamplona, but running with the sheep at Old Bandon Golf Links may be just as exciting. Photo by Wood Sabold. The motto of Bandon Dunes Resort in Southern Oregon-- my favorite golf resort on the planet-- is "Golf as it was meant to be." But now a humble, earnest nine-holer just down the road could claim to offer "Golf as it actually was." The Old Bandon Golf Links is the only public course in the ...

To the Manoir Born

Jeff Wallach — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 22:32:06 +0000

If Montreal is Quebec’s Paris, than Quebec City is the province’s Provence. Or something like that. Once you’ve walked the leafy streets

If Montreal is Quebec’s Paris, than Quebec City is the province’s Provence. Or something like that. Once you’ve walked the leafy streets and enjoyed a meal (or an overnight) in the historic Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac, head toward Le Malbaie in the Charlevoix region, 90 minutes away. On a cliff overlooking the St. Lawrence River stands the Fairmont Manoir Richelieu, which has attracted guests for more than a century. Originally built to cater to luxury ...

Your Home at the Home of Golf

Jeff Wallach — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 02:00:29 +0000

While I haven’t stayed there myself, everything about Monarchs House, in St. Andrews, suggests it’s worth a visit. With seven

While I haven't stayed there myself, everything about Monarchs House, in St. Andrews, suggests it's worth a visit. With seven bedrooms and baths, a drawing room with stocked bar and fireplace, a gleaming modern kitchen, and an address that would make Old Tom Morris jealous, it seems perfect for families or double foursomes. The Inn even has a silver replica claret jug in the foyer, and if nobody's watching, you could fill it with champagne (or ...

Best Nine Golf Courses in Las Vegas: Locals Rule

Jeff Wallach — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 21:39:53 +0000

Every story about Las Vegas should feature a blackjack dealer named Dino who’s built like a bull terrier and growls in a voice rough with

Every story about Las Vegas should feature a blackjack dealer named Dino who’s built like a bull terrier and growls in a voice rough with stogies and Johnny Walker Black. I met my Dino on the first tee of the Lakes Course at Primm Valley Golf Club, a forty-minute cruise from the strip. After knocking his tee shot into a steep fairway bunker, Dino said to his Callaway driver, “You, Mister, are headed for the ...

The Home Course, Dupont, WA: Dynamite New Layout

Jeff Wallach — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 22:43:31 +0000

When most golfers talk about their home course it’s not usually called, well, The Home Course. Unless you happen to live in Dupont,

When most golfers talk about their home course it's not usually called, well, The Home Course. Unless you happen to live in Dupont, Washington, an hour south of Seattle and not very far from the already-renowned Chambers Bay Golf Course, which will soon hold the US Amateur followed a few years later by the US Open. The Home Course will work in a supporting role in the upcoming Amateur, hosts a couple of other Championships ...

Old School

Jeff Wallach — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 16:47:46 +0000

Playing a 100-year-old golf course is often the best evidence that good design doesn’t rely on moving a lot of dirt– or a lot of

Playing a 100-year-old golf course is often the best evidence that good design doesn't rely on moving a lot of dirt-- or a lot of dollars. This past weekend I had the distinct walking pleasure of knocking it around at the Everett Golf and Country Club, north of Seattle. What impressed most was the variety of holes and features even though the course played only 6,230 yards and had 12 par fours. The layout was ...

Yucatan Yardages: Golfing Cancun and the Mayan Riviera

Jeff Wallach — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 23:36:37 +0000

The ancient Mayan culture invented one of the earliest forms of ball games, so it’s only fitting that golf thrives among the stone pyramids,

The ancient Mayan culture invented one of the earliest forms of ball games, so it’s only fitting that golf thrives among the stone pyramids, jungles, and gorgeous shorelines of their homeland. Visiting golfers will be glad to note, however, that unlike in early Mayan times, the winners of modern contests will not be sacrificed to the gods. The state of Quintana Roo, on the eastern edge of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, makes for a perfect happy/sunny destination ...

Gearhart Golf Links

Jeff Wallach — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 21:24:27 +0000

The refreshingly little-known Gearhart Golf Links and Resort, along the northern Oregon coast, is the second oldest golf course in the west (it

The refreshingly little-known Gearhart Golf Links and Resort, along the northern Oregon coast, is the second oldest golf course in the west (it opened in 1892 with four holes). Over the years a number of designers—including the renowned Chandler Egan—left their mark on the course. In 1999 the links received a full make-over at the talented hands of William Robinson, who replaced all tees and bunkers as well as several greens, installed new irrigation, and otherwise ...

Why I Love Bad Golf Courses, Too.

Jeff Wallach — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:00:25 +0000

If you’ve ever taken pleasure in slamming a really bad movie with your friends over a post-cinema cocktail, you’ll understand why I

If you've ever taken pleasure in slamming a really bad movie with your friends over a post-cinema cocktail, you'll understand why I love bad golf courses. I don't say this out of a sense of schadenfreude as much as because its by talking about what makes a golf course truly awful that we can better appreciate what makes our favorites so good-- at least in our opinion! Case in point: I'm not going to mention the ...